Airtime · Glossary

What Is Airtime to Cash? The 15-20% Cut, Codes and Scams

Selling spare airtime for naira costs you about 15-20%. See how it works, the transfer codes, what ₦2,000 of MTN airtime really pays, and the scam signs to avoid.

Tunde Bakare 10 October 2026 · 3 min read · 1 views

How selling spare credit works, what you lose and the scams to avoid

Airtime to cash means selling unused MTN, Airtel or Glo credit to an app, website or agent who pays you naira for it, always below face value. You send the airtime with your network's transfer code, and the buyer keeps 15% to 20% before paying you. Your network never buys it back.

What is airtime to cash, and how does it work?

Once your credit lands on the buyer's line, they pay you the agreed rate. Four moves cover it:

Check the buyer's rate for your network today.
Change your default transfer PIN first.
Send the agreed amount to the buyer's number.
Keep the confirmation SMS until the naira arrives.

Start with the PIN. Every line on a network ships with the same default PIN, so anyone holding your phone can send your credit away in seconds. Change it today, even if you never plan to sell.

No special airtime-to-cash code exists. You dial the normal transfer code below, with a PIN only you know where it says NewPIN and the buyer's number in place of 0803XXXXXXX.

Transfer codes by network (as at 10 October 2026)
Network	Default PIN	Change the PIN	Send airtime
MTN	0000	3210000NewPINNewPIN#	3210803XXXXXXXAmountNewPIN# (₦50 to ₦10,000 per send)
Airtel	1234	Text PIN 1234 NewPIN to 432	Dial *432#
Glo	00000	13200000NewPINNewPIN#	1310803XXXXXXXAmountNewPIN#

Airtel and Glo menus change often. Follow the prompts on screen, and call customer care if a code fails.

Buyers pay less because reselling credit takes them time and effort. MTN airtime usually fetches the best rate, but rates move by network and by day, so compare two or three buyers before you send anything.

MTN airtime to cash: what ₦2,000 really pays you

Say your uncle sends ₦2,000 airtime for your birthday, but this week you need transport money for school.

What ₦2,000 of airtime pays out
Buyer's cut	You receive	You lose
15%	₦1,700	₦300
20%	₦1,600	₦400

Spent on calls or data, that airtime loses nothing. Sell only when you truly need cash in hand.

Better still, buy only the airtime you need. On AidaPay, ₦1,000 of MTN airtime costs ₦1,000, with ₦18 back as cashback (prices as at 10 October 2026). We don't buy airtime for cash, though, because AidaPay's Airtime Swap service is currently unavailable.

Airtime transfer, airtime loans and NCC refunds: what's the difference?

A transfer just moves credit to another phone. No naira changes hands. Loans run the other way: you borrow credit today with *303# on MTN, and the network takes it back, plus a service fee, from your next recharge.

Refunds won't become cash either. Under a draft NCC framework on unused airtime from April 2025, old balances return only as voice bundles, data or value-added services.

Three things people confuse
Term	What you send	What you get
Airtime to cash	Airtime to a buyer	Naira, minus the buyer's cut
Airtime transfer	Airtime to another phone	Nothing back
Airtime loan	Nothing today	Credit you repay from your next recharge

Is it safe to sell airtime? Scam signs and what to do

Walk away from any buyer who promises close to full face value. Nobody can resell at that price and still make money. Treat a WhatsApp agent who says "send first, we'll pay in 24 hours" the same way. Never share your transfer PIN, an OTP or your bank PIN.

A woman at a Lagos market stand checks her phone cautiously before sending airtime to a buyer, illustrating scam caution. — Think twice before you send: once airtime leaves your line, it can't be pulled back.

Fake giveaway links are a separate trap. The NCC has warned that they collect phone numbers for fraud later.

With a new buyer, send ₦100 first and wait for payment. Screenshot the agreed rate, then keep your network's transfer SMS as proof of what left your line.

Sent credit can't be pulled back. If a buyer doesn't pay, report them to the platform you used, and save the NCC's 622 line for network-side failures, like a transfer that left your line but never reached the buyer.

What VTU means: the system behind instant top-ups.
MTN USSD codes: balance checks, Share and Sell and more.

Frequently asked questions

Can I convert airtime to cash on OPay or PalmPay?

Open the airtime menu in the OPay or PalmPay app. If you don't see a sell or convert option, the app doesn't offer it. Sites calling themselves an 'OPay airtime converter' are third-party buyers, so run the usual scam checks.

How much do I get if I convert ₦1,000 airtime to cash?

You get ₦850 at a 15% cut and ₦800 at 20%. Confirm the buyer's rate first, because it changes by network and by day.

Can MTN convert my airtime to cash?

No. Networks don't buy airtime back, and the NCC's April 2025 draft framework lets unused airtime return only as bundles, data or value-added services.

Is airtime to cash legit, or is it a scam?

Selling airtime is legit, but scams are common. Test a new buyer with ₦100, keep your transfer PIN, OTP and bank PIN private, and skip anyone offering near full face value or asking you to send first.

What's the code to convert airtime to cash on MTN?

There isn't one. You send credit to a buyer with *321*0803XXXXXXX*Amount*NewPIN#, from ₦50 to ₦10,000 per send.

Which app can convert airtime to cash?

No network does it, and AidaPay's Airtime Swap service is currently unavailable. Third-party buyers keep about 15-20%, so compare a few and test with ₦100 first.

How do I turn MTN airtime into cash?

Change your transfer PIN from 0000 with *321*0000*NewPIN*NewPIN#. Then send the agreed amount with *321*0803XXXXXXX*Amount*NewPIN# and keep the SMS until the buyer pays.